Official: Manchester United coach solskjaer to be sacked by Manchester United as replacement revealed

Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer set to be sacked by Man United with Darren Fletcher to take over.

Manchester United are set to sack Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, with Darren Fletcher poised to take temporary charge.

The Manchester Evening News understands club executives decided they must act now in the wake of the humiliating 4-1 defeat at on Saturday and technical director Fletcher could be in charge as soon as Tuesday’s penultimate Champions League group game at Villarreal. Fletcher is expected to be assisted by Michael Carrick.

MEN reported that Manchester United will sack Solskjaer and United are finalising the Norwegian’s compensation package of around £7.75million.

United have downplayed speculation linking Zinedine Zidane with the manager’s role and sources have suggested the Zidane links have been a tactic to appease an increasingly frustrated Cristiano Ronaldo.

It is understood Ronaldo’s agent, Jorge Mendes, sought reassurances from the United board that decisive action would be taken at managerial level shortly after the Watford humbling.

Ronaldo played under Zidane at Real Madrid when they won three successive Champions Leagues between 2016 and 2018. Both left the club in the same summer.

Fletcher was in the United dugout for the Watford game, having previously observed matches from the directors’ box and the press box.

The timing of Solskjaer’s expected removal will raise further questions about the running of United by the club’s owners, the Glazer family, outgoing executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward and his expected replacement, the managing director Richard Arnold.

United resisted sacking Solskjaer in the wake of the 5-0 drubbing by Liverpool on October 24 even though they had a six-day gap until their next match at Tottenham.

United also decided against dismissing Solskjaer during the November international fortnight, a traditionally popular time for clubs to change managers.

The MEN also revealed this week United suits had decided a change of manager would be required and started the process of identifying Solskjaer’s successor. Solskjaer signed a new three-year contract in July and United gave no consideration to sacking him before the Liverpool result.

Solskjaer took over as caretaker manager in December 2018 before he was appointed permanent manager three months later, having led United to 14 wins in his first 19 games in charge.

United finished third in Solskjaer’s first full season as manager and rose to second in the following campaign, but their form has collapsed this term amid the expectation of a Premier League title challenge.

United have taken four points from their last 21 in the league and they are 12 points behind leaders Chelsea.